Yes, you read that right. Thursday, March 17 was St. Patrick’s Day, and I, an 18-year old Christian college freshman, am a HUGE Celtic music fan. I have less than a quarter of Irish blood flowing through my veins. However, I do not identify by any of my other nationalities that make me the mutt of an American I am.

Irish music is cultured. It is the heart and soul of our homeland. The traditional songs give us a picture of hardships they endured in Ireland, while some of the “newer, but still traditional” songs help us learn about what life was like when they landed in America. Most songs are ballads, and serve a greater purpose than just to play the fiddle. They tell stories.

So what did I do to celebrate my heritage this St. Paddy’s day? I left my school and walked five minutes down the road to the local pub to see my favorite band. Lucky for me, I am close friends with the band, so when the waitress initially tried to kick me out for being underage, I gave her a puzzled look and said, “Oh no, I’m with the band. I'm their photographer.” That made her stop bothering me.

The John Byrne Band is a folk band out of Philadelphia. Their frontman, John Byrne, is a native of Dublin, Ireland and has come to America to share his gift of music. The band plays traditional songs, like the ever-popular “Rocky Road to Dublin,” “Black Velvet Band,” and “The Auld Triangle.” They don't limit themselves to traditional music, however, as they tour America and Ireland playing, a mix of that and their originals. The band has produced three CDs: “After The Wake,” “Celtic Folk,” and “The Immigrant And The Orphan,” the first and third are filled with songs that are written and produced by John and the band.

These original pieces of art also exist to tell a story. I've become familiar with each of their stories since I met John at the Philadelphia Fleadh back in 2014. They've become the soundtrack of my life, as I set my playlist featuring John's band and a few other bands on repeat.

It may seem to many that Irish folk music (or folk music in general) is not the normal preferred genre of people our age. However, I cannot get enough of it. I spent my free day in the pub listening to John and his band, as well my Friday night the week before St. Paddy’s at a larger concert. I travel as much as I can to see the band, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So yeah, I’m 18, and I got the most out of my St. Paddy’s Day.

Katelynn Recommends These Traditional Artists:

The Pogues
The Cheiftans
The Irish Rovers
The Dubliners